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51st Annual Autumn Glory Festival

Wednesday, October 10 - Sunday, October 14, 2018

Platinum Sponsor:

The annual Autumn Glory Festival is a five-day celebration of autumn that celebrates the beauty of the local fall foliage. From Wednesday through Sunday, the area offers a wide variety of things to do indoors or outdoors. The Festival includes two large parades, concerts, band competitions, art exhibits, antique & craft shows and much more! Garrett County’s annual Autumn Glory Festival landed in the international spotlight in 2007, when the popular travel website, MSN.com listed it tops among fall festivals in the world and this year, Good Housekeeping lists our Oakland, MD among the Top 50 Small Towns with the Best Fall Foliage. And in 2014, Travel & Leisure listed the Autumn Glory Festival and our own Oakland, MD as America's Best Town for Fall Colors. View this Travel Channel video about our annual festival! More information about the 50th annual festival will be added as it is confirmed.

View Our Official 50th Annual Autumn Glory Brochure

Get all the details on our Autumn Glory events in our official 50th Annual Autumn Glory Festival Brochure. A detailed listing of Autumn Glory Festival events from October 11 - 15, 2017, the brochure also includes a map of downtown Oakland, 2017 Fall Foliage Heritage Driving Tours and more. Or request a hard copy be mailed to you. You can also stop into the Visitors Center in McHenry, located at 15 Visitors Center Drive, from 9 am - 5 pm daily to pick up a copy of the brochure or a box of brochures to distribute at your business. The 50th annual Autumn Glory Festival is sponsored by Garrett Regional Medical Center, a proud affiliate of WVU Medicine.

Grand Feature Parade - Saturday, October 13, 2018

Parade Sponsor:

The Grand Feature Parade will be held Saturday, October 13, 2018. Thousands of visitors gather to view regional bands, local professional and amateur floats, dance teams and dignitaries. The parade begins at 1 pm in downtown Oakland on Omar Street and runs down the length of 2nd Street, rounding Alder Street and then ending on 3rd Street near Fox's Pizza Den. Concessions are available on Green Street located across from Naylor's Hardware. A children's tent and baby comfort station will be located at the B&O Station complete with children's crafts, popcorn and face painting.

**FYI: for the Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, October 13, 2018, please note that, for liability and safety reasons, spectators from the crowd cannot join the parade as it is in progress. This could cause a disruption to the parade flow and chaos. The State Police absolutely will not allow this and it could impact our ability to have the parade permitted next year. All those participating in the parade must be lined up prior to the start of the parade at 1:00 p.m. Thank you for your understanding.

Grand Feature Parade Road Closings

Please note: several Oakland roads will be closed before and during the 51st Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade, which begins at 1 p.m. Saturday, October 13, 2018. Second Street will be closed to traffic from Liberty Street to Center Street at 9:30 am. Both Second and Third Streets, from Omar Street to Alder Street, will be closed to all vehicles at 11:00 a.m. Traffic needing to bypass Oakland will be directed to detour along Fourth Street until the parade ends. Center Street will remain open until 12:45 p.m. Memorial Drive also will be closed to through traffic from Fourth to Eighth Street. No one will be able to turn onto Fourth Street from Memorial Drive. Barricades and police officers will prevent access onto Memorial Drive from Fourth to Eighth streets. Emergency vehicles should use Kings Run or Eighth Street to Memorial Drive.

Parking along the parade route, which includes parts of Second, Third and Alder streets, is prohibited prior to and during the parade. Business owners or employees should contact Oakland City Hall at 301.334.2691, Oakland Police Department at 301.334.2100 or the Chamber of Commerce at 301.387.4386 in advance to obtain a pass to gain access inside the parade route, this includes the handicapped parking at the Masonic Lodge on First Street. Garrett County Deputies, Maryland State Troopers and State Highway employees will be assisting the Oakland Police Department with traffic control during the Autumn Glory parade. Oakland Police Chief Bill Thomas encourages anyone coming to the festival and parade to come early to find a good parking space and enjoy the food and entertainment.

Free parking will be available in the town parking lot at the end of Second Street across the railroad tracks. For questions or concerns please free to contact Chief Thomas at Oakland Police Department or Oakland City Hall between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

50th Annual Official Autumn Glory Photo

The Annual Autumn Glory Festival produces a brochure that includes events during the festival around Garrett County. Each year a photo is chosen that represents Garrett County, Maryland’s natural landscape focusing on an autumn theme featuring fall foliage/colors. This photo is also transformed to a large canvas print that will be auctioned off at the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Dinner. Proceeds will go to the King & Queen for scholarship funds.

Photo Sponsor:

50th Anniversary Commemorative CD

50th Anniversary Commemorative CD Sponsors:

To celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Autumn Glory Festival there will be a commemorative extended play CD with 4 songs, professionally written and produced, including the "50th Anniversary" song.

Copies of the CD will be available on a first come, first serve basis from 9 am – 5 pm from Thursday, October 12 – Sunday, October 15 at the Garrett County Visitors Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive McHenry, MD 21541 and at the Autumn Glory Craft & Gift Sale from 10 am – 6 pm Saturday, October 14 and 10 am – 4 pm on Sunday, October 15.

This musical project is dedicated to the original Festival founders and all those whose efforts since have continued to perpetuate the Autumn Glory Festival and the outstanding beauty of Garrett County’s colorful fall season.

The Annual Autumn Glory Kick-Off Dinner & Reception will be held on Wednesday, October 11. Enjoy a cocktail hour followed by a full course dinner. The Golden Ambassador recipient is announced as well as the introduction of the Autumn Glory King & Queen. Learn more about the Kick-Off Dinner & Reception.

Dinner Sponsor:

Dinner Entertainment Sponsors:

Centerpiece & Decoration Sponsor:

2017 Autumn Glory Royalty

The 2017 Autumn Glory Royalty Court has been selected for the 50th Annual Autumn Glory Festival. This year’s King is Ryan Hebb and the Queen is Alanna Kinney. Garrett Regional Medical Center, a proud affiliate of WVU Medicine, is the title sponsor of the 50th annual Autumn Glory Festival.

Ryan is a member of Southern High basketball, cross country, track, and theater. He is involved with Loch Lynn Church and youth group. He works with children on service club basketball teams and is on the honor roll.

Alanna participates in Northern Lady Huskies Soccer as a captain, and is a member of the NHS newspaper, journalism club and assists with morning announcements. Alanna recently received the President's Volunteer Service Award as well as being an honor roll student. Her other passions include piano and golf.

The Autumn Glory King & Queen will preside over the Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception to be held on Wednesday, October 11, and they will be featured in the Autumn Glory Grand Feature Parade on Saturday, October 14. Besides having the honor of representing their home county during the Autumn Glory Festival and at other events, the Royalty Court will receive a monetary contribution towards future educational attainment endeavors.

50th Anniversary Commemorative Glass

You can purchase these limited edition pieces at Simon Pearce located at 265 Glass Drive, Mountain Lake Park, MD 21550 and at the Simon Pearce booth at the Autumn Glory Craft & Gift Sale at the Garrett County Fairgrounds in McHenry from 10am - 6pm on Saturday, October 14 and from 10am - 4pm on Sunday, October 15. Supplies are limited.

Enter to Win!
You can also enter to win one of Simon Pearce's Autumn Glory Commemorative pieces! Every attendee at the 50th Annual Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception & Dinner held at the Ag Heritage Hall at the Garrett County Fairgrounds on Wednesday, October 11 will receive a free raffle ticket and raffle tickets will be available for purchase for $5 per ticket or 3 for $10 at the Garrett County Visitors Center located at 15 Visitors Center Drive, McHenry, MD 21541 from 9am - 5pm from Wednesday, October 11 - Sunday, October 15. Contest ends Sunday, October 15, 2017 at 5pm. Three winners will be selected.

Tickets have no cash value. Void where prohibited.

2017 Golden Ambassador Award

At the Annual Autumn Glory Kick Off Dinner & Reception, the Golden Ambassador is announced. The winner of this award has made major contributions to tourism in Garrett County. Only Chamber members may nominate fellow Chamber members for this prestigious title. The nomination deadline for the 2017 Golden Ambassador has passed. The winner will be announced at the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce's annual Autumn Glory Kick-Off Reception on October 11th.